Postal voting

If you can’t get to your polling station on election day, you can apply to vote by post or vote by proxy. A proxy is someone who votes for you.

European Parliamentary Election, South West Region, on Thursday 23 May 2019

The closing date to apply to vote by post for these elections is 5pm on Wednesday 8 May 2019.

Apply for a postal vote

Anyone aged 18 or over can apply for a postal vote. You do not need a reason to vote by post, but you must be on the electoral register. You can apply at any time. You don’t have to wait for an election to be announced. The deadline for applications is 5pm, 11 working days before an election. This excludes Saturdays, Sundays, Good Friday and any other Bank Holiday.

You can apply for a postal vote:

for one election

for a set amount of time

permanently, until you tell us otherwise

Print off and complete the application form on the Gov.uk website and return to us: Somerset West and Taunton Council, West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA.

Postal ballot papers can be sent to your home or a different address either in the UK or abroad.

You must make sure you have enough time to receive and return your ballot paper for your vote to be counted.

If you live abroad permanently, you need to register as an overseas elector.

What will I get and when

If you’re voting by post, you will get a ballot paper and Postal Vote Statement. You sign it and give your date of birth. We check this against the signature and date of birth on your application form so that nobody else can use your vote.

Make sure you send back your postal vote so it arrives by election day. If it arrives after voting closes, it will not be counted. If it is too late to post back, you can hand it in at your local polling station or to your local council office on election day as long as it is for the same electoral area.